The Leapster Explorer's Emerald-Boot contains a feature that allows for a recovery mode, called Surgeon. When put into this mode and connected to LFConnect, it will upload and install a new firmware to your device. The programs provided here, replace LFConnect and will allow you to send a kernel or firmware of your choosing.

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The [[LeapPad_Explorer | LeapPad Explorer]] and [[Leapster_Explorer || Leapster Explorer]] respective bootloaders contain a feature that allows for a recovery mode, called Surgeon. When put into this mode and connected to LFConnect, it will upload and install a new firmware to your device. There are a few ways to do this yourself also.

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== Programs Needed ==

== Programs Needed ==

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sg3_utils - Provides the needed sg_raw and sg_verify for Linux

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sg3_utils used in a script shell/python etc

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* Available here [http://sg.danny.cz/sg/sg3_utils.html]

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* Probably included in Linux.

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* Windows port available at link.

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[[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_OpenLFConnect | OpenLFConnect]]

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* Python program that includes Windows sg3_utils or uses your Linux's built in version.

* Or you can [[Leapster_Explorer:_Testing_Kernels_via_USB_Boot| Modify a Kernel for USB Boot]]

* Or you can [[Leapster_Explorer:_Testing_Kernels_via_USB_Boot| Modify a Kernel for USB Boot]]

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== Hardware ==

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== Hardware Needed ==

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[[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_Console_Access| Console Access]]

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For using Surgeon once booted.

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[[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_Console_Access | Console Access]]

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== On Explorer ==

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Connect the device to the host PC.

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== Getting Started ==

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If you choose to use OpenLFConnect refer to it's section [[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_OpenLFConnect#USB_Booting | OpenLFConnect USB Booting]]

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Hold down Right and Left Shoulder buttons and ? Button.

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You will need to connect your device through a USB cable to your host PC. Also have your Surgeon.cbf or custom file ready. Note any file you send will need to conform to the [[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_File_Format_CBF | CBF File Format]].

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Turn the device on, you can let go of the buttons and you should see download screen.

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''' Starting USB Boot Mode '''

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== Under Linux ==

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''' Explorer ''' Hold down both shoulder buttons, and the ? button, before turning the device on.

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Download the Pager script and save it in a directory, make sure it is set to execute file permissions for your user. From a terminal run

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''' LeapPad ''' Unknown how to start with button presses at this time.

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$ sudo ./pager.sh surgeon.cbf

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Once in USB Boot mode the device is ready to accept your file. You'll need a script or program of some sort, please refer to the next section on the mechanics of the process.

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1: Writing bytes:0 -> 16383 to /dev/sdc

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SCSI Status: Good

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2: Writing bytes:16384 -> 32767 to /dev/sdc

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SCSI Status: Good

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...

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...

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430: Writing bytes:7045120 -> 7061503 to /dev/sdc

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SCSI Status: Good

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431: Writing bytes:7061504 -> 7077887 to /dev/sdc

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Verifying /dev/sdc

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and it will be done. You can check in your UART terminal, and you should see it uncompressing Linux. And you should notice, the Explorer USB Device has now changed from a Mass Storage Driver to a Network Device.

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== Scripting for USB Boot Mode ==

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== Under Windows ==

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You'll need sg_raw and sg_verify from the sg3_utils package. You will also need to find the device id, this is done by running the sg_scan program in terminal, on windows with no options or for Linux run sg_scan -i.

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Download the Pager app and extract it, cd to the directory you put it in, from the command prompt.

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This will give you a list of generic scsi devices on the system, if your device is connected correctly and in USB Boot Mode, you should see a line that includes LeapFrog in it. This listing will contain the device name.

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C:\>pager.exe -f surgeon.cbf

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''' Windows '''

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Where file name is the file you wish to download to the Explorer. You should see some info on the screen about your Explorer along with the \PhysicalDrive it is. You'll see ''Sending Packet:'' then ''Finished!'' if all went well. If you get a complaint about Explorer not found, try replugging the USB cable, or if you have more than 10 drives hooked to your host, you'll need to compile your own or unplug a few drives, as it only searches the first 10 drives.

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We want the Physical Drive number here, you should see something on the LeapFrog line such as PD1, or PD2, depending on the number of attached drives on your system.

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''' Cellphone '''

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''' Linux '''

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This is a wrapper for Pager, that takes the the surgeon.cbf name as an argument, runs Pager with it, then gets the IP address of the Explorer, and creates a route entry for it. You'll need to get devices' IP address, then configure the script for that particular IP check [[LeapFrog_Pollux_Platform:_Networking#On_Windows| Windows Networking]] for more information. Then run:

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Here we want the /dev file. The line directly above should include /dev/sg2 or /dev/sg3 depending on your system configuration.

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C:> cellphone.v0.1.py surgeon.cbf

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''' Sending Data '''

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With this information in hand, you can now run a loop to grab and send the file data. This should be possible in most any language, so I'll just get the particulars across.

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CBF_PACKET_SIZE = 16384

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* This is set by the bootloader, and is the size of data it expect on each pass.

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byte1 = '00'

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* This will be the LSB of the LBA, it needs to be changed to 01 after the first pass, after that, doesn't matter.

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file_position

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* Keeps track of where we are in the file, while looping through the data.

This is a SCSI Write(10) command 0x2A that will send 16384 bytes of data, from file surgeon.cbf starting at file_position.

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You should receive a "Status:Good" after each send, if not, there is an issue.

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Once all the data has been sent the verify command is sent, which seems to tell the bootloader EOF on the send. The device should start booting Surgeon after this if all went well.

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Verify

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* sg_verify /dev/sg2

Line 59:

Line 86:

Mounting stock Explorer / and /LF/Bulk

Mounting stock Explorer / and /LF/Bulk

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Once surgeon.cbf has been booted, you can use the serial console as normal. This script mounts /patient-bulk and /patient-rfs which are the Explorers normal partitions.

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Once surgeon.cbf has been booted, you can use the serial console as normal. This script mounts /patient-bulk and /patient-rfs which are the device's normal partitions. This can be used to edit files, or fix problems with out conflicting with the OS as they are not ever in use in this state.

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./etc/init.d/recovery-mounts start

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./etc/init.d/recovery-mounts start

[[Category:Leapster Explorer]]

[[Category:Leapster Explorer]]

[[Category:LeapPad Explorer]]

[[Category:LeapPad Explorer]]

Latest revision as of 00:00, 4 February 2012

Contents

Summary

The LeapPad Explorer and | Leapster Explorer respective bootloaders contain a feature that allows for a recovery mode, called Surgeon. When put into this mode and connected to LFConnect, it will upload and install a new firmware to your device. There are a few ways to do this yourself also.

Hardware Needed

Getting Started

You will need to connect your device through a USB cable to your host PC. Also have your Surgeon.cbf or custom file ready. Note any file you send will need to conform to the CBF File Format.

Starting USB Boot Mode

Explorer Hold down both shoulder buttons, and the ? button, before turning the device on.

LeapPad Unknown how to start with button presses at this time.

Once in USB Boot mode the device is ready to accept your file. You'll need a script or program of some sort, please refer to the next section on the mechanics of the process.

Scripting for USB Boot Mode

You'll need sg_raw and sg_verify from the sg3_utils package. You will also need to find the device id, this is done by running the sg_scan program in terminal, on windows with no options or for Linux run sg_scan -i.

This will give you a list of generic scsi devices on the system, if your device is connected correctly and in USB Boot Mode, you should see a line that includes LeapFrog in it. This listing will contain the device name.

Windows

We want the Physical Drive number here, you should see something on the LeapFrog line such as PD1, or PD2, depending on the number of attached drives on your system.

Linux

Here we want the /dev file. The line directly above should include /dev/sg2 or /dev/sg3 depending on your system configuration.

Sending Data

With this information in hand, you can now run a loop to grab and send the file data. This should be possible in most any language, so I'll just get the particulars across.

CBF_PACKET_SIZE = 16384

* This is set by the bootloader, and is the size of data it expect on each pass.

byte1 = '00'

This will be the LSB of the LBA, it needs to be changed to 01 after the first pass, after that, doesn't matter.

file_position

Keeps track of where we are in the file, while looping through the data.

This is a SCSI Write(10) command 0x2A that will send 16384 bytes of data, from file surgeon.cbf starting at file_position.

You should receive a "Status:Good" after each send, if not, there is an issue.

Once all the data has been sent the verify command is sent, which seems to tell the bootloader EOF on the send. The device should start booting Surgeon after this if all went well.

Verify

sg_verify /dev/sg2

Using Surgeon

Mounting stock Explorer / and /LF/Bulk

Once surgeon.cbf has been booted, you can use the serial console as normal. This script mounts /patient-bulk and /patient-rfs which are the device's normal partitions. This can be used to edit files, or fix problems with out conflicting with the OS as they are not ever in use in this state.